Vidiation counters dirty bomb threat with new detector

Vidiation is rolling out its software-based "dirty bomb" detection solution, Vidiation -- Radiation Analytics Detection System, or V-RADS. The V-RADS solution is a revolutionary, proven gamma radiation detection technology that identifies radioactive materials by analysing streams of surveillance video.
"This is an innovative, 'next-generation' radiation detection technology, and there is quite a bit of information to impart in order to build a framework of understanding for our solution," said Gordon Bingham, vice president of Marketing at Vidiation. "As a new technology -- really, a new dimension in the radiation detection field -- we must present not only the anti-terrorism role of Vidiation technology, but educate our target audiences as to the research and development process for V-RADS, the exacting testing and quantifiable results we found and what it means to our partners and end-users of our solution."
The company has included specific results on its Web site from the most recent testing round at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Tests proved V-RADS could detect varying amounts of the small quantities of radiological materials that can be used to create a "dirty bomb," and a table of amounts (in curies) and distances (in meters) from source to video camera, wherein detection occurred in less than 3 seconds, is presented.
"We feel it is important to illustrate the effectiveness of V-RADS against the threat of 'dirty bomb' terrorism, as well as present an overview of "real world" deployment scenarios where V-RADS can have an impact," noted Mr Bingham. The company has posted a video on the site that gives a vivid "what if" perspective, from the ability of V-RADS to help defend locations around the clock that either store or use radiological materials in seemingly innocuous settings to its ability to surveil transit "choke-points" through which most travel occurs and its omnipresent capability at locations that are likely terrorist targets, due to the pervasiveness of video surveillance at these venues. "V-RADS is an 'always present, always on' deterrentâ€¦and the more pervasive the deployment becomes across these strategic venues, the greater the degree of security we can achieve against the very real threat of radiological terrorism," he concluded.